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Great to bad ...

I started watching this series and was instantly hooked on it. I'm not sure why, but it was just so intriguing, wondering how this relationship of an ordinary man would get involved and attached to a well known singing star idol. If you would have asked me to rate this series after the first six episodes, I would have given 10's across the board. It was just that great ...
But seriously, I have no idea what happened. The last three episodes were just horrible. I hate to use that word, horrible, and I've never used that word before in a review, but that's the only word I can think of.
Nothing against the acting or the actors, in fact, they were fantastic. Se Jong and Suzy did a great job at giving us two great performances, Ha Young, too ... but the story just fell apart in episodes 8 & 9.
By the time the last episode played out, I was just counting the minutes until it was over, hoping for a great finish. I wanted to see some conclusion that would leave me feeling like I did after the first six episodes ... but it didn't happen.
..... And the ending? I didn't get the ending at all. I watched the last 10 minutes twice, thinking I missed something, but I still didn't get it. Complete confusion as the credits rolled, along with total disappointment.

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An Excellent Tear-Jerking Drama

It took a while for me to get into this series, but by the end of episode 2 ... it will grab you!!!
For anyone who has ever lost someone extremely close to them unexpectedly, this is a therapy story, showing you how to cope with the loss of a loved one. It deals with the common questions after a tragedy ... what if I could have, should have, would have?? They all play into this drama.
Min Ha is so fantastic in this role. I thought her perfect role was in Typhoon Family, but she's even better in this series. She gives the perfect performance, throwing every emotion out there. It's the kind of character that can make you laugh and then make you cry, all in the same scene.
If you're like me, you kind of try to jump forward in your mind, just to see if you can get ahead of where the story is going. The last episode takes you in so many directions, just when you think you have it all figured out on what's going to happen ... you don't!!!! Even though it was rather a quick series, it seemed to be just enough to make a brilliant story.
A really great series, along with great acting and a very satisfying ending.

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Ups & Downs Of A Family

This is a series that will grab you right away. It's kind of slow moving, but if you give it a chance, you'll definitely get hooked to keep watching. It's a bit of a complicated story with two brother in laws dealing with the loss of a wife/sister and having to rely on one another for several reasons. I think the one thing I found fault with, was that the main protagonist really wasn't such a jerk as the title leaves you to believe. Ippei has some faults, but overall you'll find him a pretty good person.
Jun Shison is great in his role as the loving father of two of the most adorable kids you'll see. Every time they appear on screen, you can't help but smile, especially the little boy, Asahi. He steals every scene he's in.
The last three episodes definitely get a bit more dramatic, and it makes you kind of wonder how this will end on a positive note. It makes for a good final episode. I think the one thing I would have hoped for was a bit more of a climatic ending. It was good, but I was wishing for a bit more.
Overall, a feel good series from start to finish

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Very Realistic BL

This was a really enjoyable series to follow. It's a very realistic BL drama showing the true struggles for two men in today's society on how to deal with their emotions and the obstacles they keep running into along the way. It's a slow moving story, but very entertaining with some meaningful storylines blended together with a touch of comedy, too.
I wasn't familiar with anyone in this cast, but they all do such a great job at keeping it interesting, without all the glamour & fluffiness of a typical BL series. Mitsuhiro Oikawa mixes well with Yuya Tegoshi, showing you sadness and loneliness, but can also put a smile on your face with the comedy wit they both possess.
The supporting cast adds some side stories that all center around these two main protagonists. Just a nice all around series to enjoy!!

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Mixed up teenage love

This drama is an extremely innocent story about first love crushes and how a group of teenagers deal with it. The problem is, everyone seems to have crushes on the wrong person. There's so much unrequited love in this drama, it gets extremely annoying to watch.
I'm not a fan at all of the lead male protagonist, Ren. Nothing against the actor, Kyohei Takahashi, but his character is so cold, boring and has zero personality ... and yet everyone seems to confess their love to him. I just don't get it. He's not a bad looking guy, but nothing else seems to play in his favor. To me, the only "normal" character is this series appears to be Takumi. He has a sense of humor, great personality and seems to show emotion better than anyone. Coki Yamashita does a great job at making him extremely likable.
The last episode left much to be desired as it ends. I see that a second season is coming out, so I'm hoping to see an overall improvement on the story, as well as the maturity of the characters.

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Great Series with a Horrible Ending!

This was such an enjoyable series from episode 1. I'm a fan of both Go Eun & Jin Young from past performances, so I went into this series knowing this would definitely be a good watch.
The first 13 episodes were fantastic. The Cells were such great entertainment, not to mention so realistic when you realized how they handled each situation Yu Mi put them in. As you get deeper into the series, the chemistry between Yu Mi & Ba Bi really becomes strong. You watch them deal with ups and downs in their relationship, not to mention several antagonists trying to meddle in their lives. They managed to get through it all as we headed for the final episode. which appeared to be setting up for a great happy ending ...
And then the finale. I went from enjoying this series so much, to absolute disgust. I finished episode 14 and thought, this is what I just wasted 14 hours on? I couldn't believe how this wrapped up. It was truly such a disappointment. I wasn't going to even waste my time giving a review on it, but I had to express how this really made me feel. I've left reviews for so many series over time on MyDramaList and I can honestly say this is the first time I've ever left a review like this.
I see that season 3 is coming out for this series. I will not bring myself to watch it!

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Good lighthearted story.

This was a series that seemed to have so much potential. I don't want to say I was somewhat disappointed, because at times this was so entertaining. It had some good to even great comedy, as well as some dramatic tones mixed in. There just seemed to be something missing to make this a great story.
I'm always a fan of Ryosuke Yamada. I've loved all his work and he never disappoints. It was just one of those stories that gets you a bit aggravated, because when revelations happened, leading to misunderstandings between the protagonists , nothing is said to correct it, causing things to blow way out of proportion. You find yourself saying "SAY SOMETHING" "TELL THEM WHAT REALLY HAPPENED"
It gets kind of frustrating over the course of the series.
After the story reveals major changes in episode 5, you definitely feel the relation become believable on screen. This is about the same time the antagonists finally show up. Once this happens, the dramatic part of the series begins to take over.
Togo & Ayaka make a great couple, making it even more enjoyable watching this marriage play out, first as a scam, but then as true romance. There's some great scenes between the two and both actors blend extremely well together.
It does deliver some good final episodes, so overall it was a very entertaining series ... with a happy ending for all.

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Extremely Dark, but Extremely Entertaining

This series started out very bizarre, with such a dark tone, it's almost disturbing to watch ... however, once you get through the first episode, I found it to be so addictive, not to mention one of the most seductive BL's to come along in a while. If you stick with it, you'll be glad you did. It turns into a very realistic story between two long time friends, relatives, lovers ... there's a lot of ways to describe this relationship, but whatever you want to call it, it's entertaining watching it play out.
With me, I found myself flipping sides on who to root for in this drama. Jeong Han, who seemed to lack morals, with a controlling nature in the beginning, really does a change of heart. You develop a strong empathy toward him, especially when you see his family and what he's dealing with. I think the chemistry that develops between Ji Sung & Ri U becomes brilliantly apparent in later episodes. These actors create two strong believable protagonists, and makes the series a must watch.
Definitely one of the better BL's of the year.

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At times very frustrating to watch

This is a series with a good story, but will get you extremely aggravating while watching. Out of the four main characters, I found only Gyeon, played by Se Jin, to be the true entertainment throughout each episode. The lead protagonist, Do Ha is so clueless, as three guys are literally falling all over him for his affection. It's completely frustrating for him not to even see how they're going out of their way to win him over. Somehow, even with so much animosity between the three suitors, they always end up at the same table for drinks or food wanting to kill each other with their looks. Very bizarre to say the least.
The one saving grace are the last two episodes ... that rescued the series and corrected for all the wrongs from early on. The two that were totally meant to be together from the very beginning, ends up exactly as you had hoped.
I do hate the fast forward endings where years are skipped over, but at least this solidified the relationship we saw happen between the two. Episode 8 was indeed very enjoyable, so I kind of forgot the true annoyance I was experiencing early on.
Overall it ended up being good, but it could have been so much better with a few changes.

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Dark, Suspenseful & Mysterious

This is a series that pulls you into it within the first ten minutes. A t times it gets confusing and one flashback seems to stumble into the next flashback, making your mind work harder to keep everything in order. However, once you survive to episode 5, the clouds begin to part with major revelations in the story. From that point, everything really goes off the rails and anything seems possible for each character.
One thing that makes this thriller interesting, is the fact that several protagonists sort of swap into antagonists half way though. You find yourself wonder who the good people are, if any exist at all. People you found yourself having empathy for, suddenly show their evil side, which leaves your mind in a tailspin.
Episode 7 is definitely the pinnacle episode of the entire series. that's when you come to realize why everyone is the way they are, which is basically nuts!
Ryosuke Yamada without a doubt plays a better dark, sinister character, rather than a gentle & kind one. Early on he didn't seem to be giving a strong performance as Eiji, but when he turns into B1, that he handled like a true pro. He really brought out the dark nature of that character and gave it his all!
Up until the last couple minutes, I had higher hopes on how things would end. I was a bit disappointed with the final outcome of the two protagonists. It just seemed to be a little flat at the very end. although , overall a very good thriller with many many twists and turns.

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unexpectedly great!

I started this thinking this would be a typical high school story, nerdy kid getting bullied, getting involved with the girlfriend of the kid that was doing the bullying ...
It was a mouth dropping moment when you realize the actually story you're watching. Nothing like you expected to happen. This drama is so fantastic, because as you try to guess the direction everything is heading, you guessed wrong, right to the very last episode ... actually, to the very last couple of minutes in the series.
Dong Hee does a great job at making his character mysterious in many way. Ji Soo , although not to likable for many reasons early on, you can understand his family history as to what made him the way he is. You do feel for him and really root for him as the series continues on.
Ju Hyun also gives a great performance playing another unlikable character, I mean, truly unlikable after the first two episodes, but that changes as you get deeper into the drama. She goes from villain to hero in a short period of time.
There's also several antagonists throughout the story ... but the one that tops the list for me would be Ki Tae, portrayed by Yoon Su. Since I have seen him play good guys in other roles, he really gave us a great "bad guy" performance. Definitely someone to hate in this drama.
As everything begins to come to an explosive conclusion in the final episode, we're still lead in different directions then what's actually going to happen. It's written beautifully, so you really are caught by surprise with the last few minutes.
I think the only thing that I found annoying was the ending. There were several pieces of the story left up to us to decide the final conclusion. I think I would have preferred a more solid ending, letting us see what actually happened to our protagonists. However, overall a fantastic series ... one that you can watch in a binge without hesitation!

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Comedy, Drama, Mystery ... all rolled into one

This was truly a great series from the very beginning right to the end. It was really a multi layered series, much more comedy early on, gradually taking a much more serious, dramatic tone as you get deeper into the episodes. The fact they were able to blend a touch of comedy, even at the darker moments of the series, made it really enjoyable to watch.
There are scenes so hilarious, sitting down and eating with the King or doing shots of alcohol ... stuff you normally don't see involving the Joseon period. It was very original. Sort of bringing a touch of the 21st century into the 19th century.
The story itself was about a great trio of people, involving love, best friends & fate. The chemistry of the cast equally matched the writing. Young Dae, although at times a bit too nice for a King, made a great leader and was a perfect match for romance with Ju Hyun and a deep friendship with Woo Seok. Together, the three supplied great entertainment, giving you a feel that somehow they would make everything work out to a happy ending.
It was around episode 5 when the series shifts into a more serious, darker tone. From that point on, the show definitely becomes a solid drama with a great story plot, giving you questionable hope that everything really was going to turn out the way you wanted. The stunning events of episode 8 takes a major direction change in the story, making you hold on tight, knowing it's going to be a bumpy ride for our three protagonists from that point on.
I think if I can find one complaint, it would be the final episode. While everything worked out fantastically in the end, I hate when things are a bit rushed to completion. There could have been more scenes showing us how things played out instead of leaving it to our imagination. I think it would have been enjoyable to watch that happen. Other than that, a really enjoyable series all around. A great watch!!!

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A difficult watch

It seemed like it was going to be an interesting BL at first glance, but I found myself totally lost after episode 1. Trying not to give up on it, because it seemed like a really original story, I stuck with it, which I was kind of glad I did. You need to put some time and effort into this series for things to begin to make sense. By the middle of the series there is somewhat of a turn around in the quality of the story. It really wasn't until episode 7 when I found things finally become interesting. We started to see several twists in the plot and the actors started to gel together.
Nothing against the cast, each added something to the drama, but I think there couldn't have been more depth with the past lives they shared. Jae Wook & Cha Min didn't seem to have the chemistry needed to hold things together early on, but eventually found something on screen toward the end, unfortunately for me, it took a bit too long for that to happen. I found Taek Jun and his character of Gwi to be the most interesting. I kind of wish he had a larger role in the series. I think it would have added a lot more to the drama.
Overall, it was a good watch, especially the second half, I just think it had the potential to be so much more.

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A True Love Story

This is definitely a bizarre series in the way the premise is set up, giving up her five senses one by one to save the person she loves. Naturally, you expect that the two most important senses for her to lose last would be sight & sound ... but this drama shows how important the remaining three are as well. Mei Nagano does a great job at showing us just that.
For me, this series gets to be extremely frustrating to watch by episode 4. The direction the story takes becomes quite annoying. It was to a point that I almost stopped watching it. Ame rejects Taiyo because of her love for him, not wanting him to see her in such pain. That's very admirable of her, but it's taken a bit too far when she pretends to be in love with Tsukasa, a mutual friend. It really devastates Tayio, making him endure her with someone else.
HOWEVER, if you can get through those few middle episodes, stick it out, you'll be glad you did. The story indeed turns into a true love story, and the sacrifices one makes for another in the name of love.
At times this drama is very depressing and extremely emotional. The two protagonists give such an outstanding performance, especially Yuki Yamada. He is amazing to watch in the last few episodes, showing an outstanding acting ability. It's what kept me tuned in to the very end. The way the story ends up, it truly makes you think about the power of fate, and how some things are out of our control.
Keep tissues nearby when watching!!!

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Enjoyable to watch

This was the kind of series that grabbed me from the very beginning. The characters main characters were mostly likable, and if they were not, you got to like them as the series continued. Hyo Seop and Se Jeong have a great blend of chemistry in watching their strange relationship develop and become strong in the second half of the drama.
The supporting cast fits rather well, but I did find some annoyance in the character of Yeong Seo. No criticism of In Ah, she plays her part well and is a perfect fit with Min Gue. In fact, their relationship is even more believable than the main characters.
The overall story is rather good, surrounded by a little mystery. As usual, there are a few antagonists they do their best to keep everyone apart.
Deok Hwa always plays a part you hate, but also enjoy at the same time. He never disappoints at being the thorn in the side of a happy story. Thankfully, even he isn't as bad as he could have been.
I think my only complaint is the series is that it was rushed at the end. The last episode you kind of get whiplash with them skipping ahead two years and not really showing the stories come together. You kind of wanted to see Da Gu give his blessing to his grandson's marriage, as well as showing his respect toward Ha Ri, but you never see him again after he goes to the United States for medical treatment. It just seems it could have been a bit more with everyone together, even showing them actually get married ... but it doesn't happen.
Other than that, it still is extremely enjoyable and gives a happy ending to all who deserves it. Great acting with a great story to match.

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